Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Good bye to Shell petrol station, Kajang town

The Shell Station (the only one petrol station in middle of town) has closed from 30 November 2016. I use this station as it is very convenient for me. As such, I will miss it very much. Anyway, this was the email which they circulated together with some of their old photos. All the best Kim Seng and family.



Dear Customers / Friends ,

The Sin Kee Sang Shell petrol station (situated along Jalan Semenyih, Kajang, beside Prescott Hotel) was started by the late Mr Kong Siew Kuin in 1952.
Our last day of retail trading was on the 30 November 2016.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your loyal support over the 64 years of service.

We would like to share with you some old photos taken during the initial opening ceremony in 1952.

The only landmark then was the old Lutheran Church (timber building) located opposite the Shell station. This church building has since been relocated beside Yu Hua School several years ago.

We have plans to redevelop the land.

Thank you for your patronage over the years.

From :
The Management & Staffs of Sin Kee Sang Shell Station, Jalan Semenyih, Kajang.
















Giving her heart and soul for the ‘kids’

The Star, Saturday, 3 December 2016
KAJANG: When Kong Lan Lee decided to quit her job as an administrative manager to become director of the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation in Petaling Jaya, her mother, boss and colleagues asked her if she was sure.
There was no money in the career change and she was doing well at her job, her mother pointed out. But Kong was bored of the wild goose chase in the corporate world.
That was in 1990 and she hasn’t looked back since.
“The minute I went in, I knew there was no turning back,” said Kong, one of the winners of this year’s Star Golden Hearts award.
“The little ones were so cute, I just fell in love with them.”


Five years later, she moved to the Association for Special Children Kajang (PKIK) as its director.
The centre provides meals for over 40 children daily, and conducts training programmes for children, youths and adults with learning disabilities from various ethnic groups and backgrounds.
Since she joined the association, Kong has rolled out an early intervention programme for children below seven, a day training programme for persons above 14 years, an employment training programme for adults, therapies and, most recently, an independent training group home for young adults.
“I salute Kong. She did a great job with this place,” said her colleague and longtime friend, Chew Swan Im, adding that this director has always been different from the others.
“Whether a child is rich or poor, she treats everyone the same way and never differentiates according to skin colour,” added the teacher who has worked with Kong for over 20 years.
Chew recalled a time when she had trouble agreeing with some of the parents of the children with learning disabilities.
“Kong just smiled and reminded me to be patient and understanding with them because they have to care for the kids 364 days a year,” she said.
Picture of love: Kong sharing a light moment with her ’kids’ as they have their morning tea. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star
Picture of love: Kong sharing a light moment with her ’kids’ as they have their morning tea. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star 
“When we make mistakes, as a boss she doesn’t scold us. Instead, she listens to our side of the story first.”
Now, 26 years after leaving her corporate job, the golden-hearted director said she was thankful for how it changed her life.
“They’re very beautiful people and they have so much to teach us on what it is to be a human being,” she said.
“It’s very gratifying watching them grow up and progress.”
Although some of the centre’s students are over 40 years old, with the eldest being 54, Kong still endearingly refers to them as her “kids”.
She has clearly helped to make a difference.
A large number of the centre’s children are those left out of the loop by the public school system due to bullying or systematic mistreatment by others.
But Kong has guided them towards living a more meaningful life by helping them build relationships, gear up for jobs, and prepare for independent living.
Some of the “kids” are certified world-class special athletes, bagging gold medals at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles and Athens.
“We teach them how to make their own decisions instead of having them made by others for the rest of their lives,” noted the Kajang native.
For more than two decades, Kong has also been tirelessly raising funds to keep the centre afloat. But she has never been one to rest on her laurels. This year, she is bracing for one final stretch before slowly moving on to retirement.
“My final dream is for all of them to be able to move into their very own campus,” she says.
“People go to universities and schools with their own campus, so why not these children too?”
That’s her plan but, she admits, “whether I’ll be here long enough or not, I don’t know.”
The centre is now raising funds to construct a building on a piece of land in Kajang that was purchased in 2008. But only half of the amount required has been raised so far.
Asked if there is anything she has not achieved, Kong said some of the parents are past 80 but have not managed to get an assurance that their child will be in good hands when they are no longer able to care for them.
“That’s one thing I feel I didn’t work hard enough for,” she said.
“Another thing I failed at is getting parents more involved in the association.”
But Kong is far from giving up, and although she plans to retire soon, she knows that the children’s unconditional love will keep her coming back.
“People like me stay because we feel appreciated. It’s because the children love the teachers and me unconditionally,” she says.
This year’s Star Golden Hearts Award is supported by Gamuda. For more articles, go to thestar.com.my/stargoldenheartsaward.

Rubbish build-up a potential threat to environment

The Star, Tuesday, 6 December 2016

A NEW landfill for bulk waste, run by the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) near Sungai Semenyih, is fast turning into an illegal dumpsite for domestic and industrial wastes.
Despite the “Tapak Pelupusan Sampah Pukal” sign in the area declaring it a disposal site for bulk waste, StarMetro’s investigation revealed that the site had become a convenient spot for waste contractors to dump all types of garbage.
Located on a hill about 400m from Sungai Semenyih, the landfill was opened by MPKj several months ago to replace a former landfill that was located near Sungai Kundor.
Sungai Kundor is a tributary of Sungai Semenyih.
The new landfill, located on a 16.19ha land, has a lifespan of 20 years.
StarMetro noticed numerous lorries, loaded with rubbish, making their way to the dumpsite but no MPKj enforcement officers were there to inspect or stop waste contractors from dumping their load.
Waste water was seen dripping from the lorries and flowing down the road leading to the dumpsite.
The landfill takes 16.19ha and household waste is seen here. — Photos: RICKY LAI and IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star.
The landfill takes 16.19ha and household waste is seen here. — Photos: RI CKY LAI and IZZRAFIQ ALI AS/The Star.
An average of 20 trucks were seen moving in and out of the site every half an hour. The site is also opened during the weekends.
Further checks revealed that the area was filled with both domestic and industrial wastes including construction materials.
A pond filled with water, believed to be leachate released from the rubbish, was also spotted at the dumpsite.
Residents are pointing fingers at MPKj for failing to ensure that only bulk waste is dumped at the location.
They also question the council’s decision to operate a landfill close to Sungai Semenyih, which has become the subject of controversy in repeated incidents of water contamination caused by illegal dumping of industrial waste there.
Sixty-year-old villager Zulkifli Abdullah from Kampung Sungai Lalang said the residents there were unhappy over the council’s move to operate a new landfill in the area.
The former MPKj bulk waste site in Semenyih still has rubbish scattered everywhere despite it being closed down. There is also foul smell at the site where this dumpsite operated since 2012 and was closed down early this year.
The former MPKj bulk waste site in Semenyih still has rubbish scattered everywhere despite it being closed down. There is also foul smell at the site where this dumpsite operated since 2012 and was closed down early this year.
MPKj, he said, had failed to take into consideration the need to preserve the greenery around the river.
“MPKj should do everything possible to stop any form of activities that can lead to pollution of the river, but it is sad that the council itself is operating a dumpsite in the area,” he said.
Halimah Tarmizi, 56, from Kampung Pasir, said it was clear the council was only interested in making money out of the landfill.
She said the residents had earlier expressed dissatisfaction over the operations of the former dumpsite which had been closed after the new one was opened.
“It used to produce strong stench and attract flies because the council allowed contractors to dump all types of garbage in the area,” she said.
The entrance to the MPKj landfill site in Semenyih.
The entrance to the MPKj landfill site in Semenyih.
StarMetro’s visit to the former dumpsite revealed that the area, although had been excavated, released a foul smell believed to be caused by gas released from the waste buried there.
Global Environment Centre (GCE) river care coordinator Dr Kalithasan Kailasam, who visited the current site following a public tip-off, said it was shocking to find domestic and industrial wastes at the dumpsite.
He said the signboard clearly stated that the spot was meant for dumping of bulk waste but it seemed that the council had violated its own rules and regulation.
“I do not understand how this is happening at a site operated by the local authority, and it seems that there is no control over what should be allowed for disposal at the site,” said the river expert.
Dr Kalithasan feared that the landfill might cause contamination of Sungai Semenyih due to presence of domestic and industrial wastes.
“Furthermore, the landfill is situated on a hill and the river is on the slope,” he said.
Dr Kalithasan said leachate could enter the river or flow into it following a downpour.
An average of 20 lorries going in and out of the site every half an hour.
An average of 20 lorries going in and out of the site every half an hour.
“This is definitely not a healthy situation and I wonder if an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report had been obtained by the operator.
“It is important for the operator to comply with the various environmental regulations as stipulated by the Department of Environment (DOE),” he said.
MPKj president Mohd Sayuthi Bakar said the council had not done anything wrong by operating the landfill as it was strictly for disposal of construction waste.
“We do not allow the disposal of domestic or industrial waste here,” he said, adding that the council had adhered to various environmental regulations.
A Selangor DOE officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said the council had not obtained any EIA report for the landfill.
“The landfill is not on our list and I believe it is under the purview of the local authority,” he said.

Synchronising their deadlines

The Star, Thursday, 1 December 2016

An aerial view showing an illegal factory’s proximity to the river. — filepic
An aerial view showing an illegal factory’s proximity to the river. — filepic
BOTH the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) and the Hulu Langat Land Office plan to provide same deadlines to illegal factory operators operating on the Sungai Semenyih reserve land to move out.
MPKj president Mohd Sayuthi Bakar said the move was to enable enforcement units to take action at the same time.
He added that the land office had issued the notices to move out under different laws, namely the Street, Drainage and Building Act and the State Land Code, respectively.
“We need to coordinate the deadlines of the notices as we can only take action at the expiry of the deadline,” he said, adding that a meeting would be held today with the land office.
He, however, did not mention the original deadlines given to the operators and declined to commit to an expected date on the demolition of the factories.
Mohd Sayuthi said this when asked for updates on the five premises facing demolition orders for operating along the Sungai Semenyih reserve land.
“There is a possibility that one factory has moved out from the river reserve.
“But action will be taken if its new location is not in an industrial zone, including taking the operator to court,” he said at the MPKj full board meeting yesterday.
It was reported that the five premises, including a chicken processing plant, an electrical recycling items workshop and a furniture factory, were among the 58 factories found to be operating along Sungai Semenyih.
This follows the closure of an illegal factory that was said to be the cause of the water contamination in the Klang Valley early last month.
The water treatment plant near Sungai Semenyih had to be shut down, resulting in some 30,000 households to be without water.
On another matter, Mohd Sayuthi said the council had stepped up its preparation for possible natural disasters in view of the monsoon season.
“We have mobilised the Slope Unit to monitor slopes in high-risk areas and take note of any possible problems.
“Should something be detected, such as soil movement, the council will take immediate action before anything untoward happens.
“Our Pasukan Pantas (Quick Action Team) has also been activated and is on standby.
“They will be deployed to assist in emergency cases such as flood, landslide or if trees collapse,” he said.
Mohd Sayuthi also announced that the state government had allocated RM50,000 to instal CCTVs in low-cost flat schemes.
“We are in the process of shortlisting several flat schemes that are qualified for the project.
“They need to fulfil two criteria – the Joint Management Body or Joint Management Committee (JMB or JMC) has to be active, and there has to be an office or room where the CCTV equipment can be installed.
“As the allocation is limited, we will likely be able to instal the CCTVs in three locations only,” he said, adding that the CCTVs would be used for safety purposes to monitor vehicle and pedestrian access.
MPKj Planning Department director Datuk Nizam Sahari also presented updates on the Publicity and Public Participation Programme for the MPKj Draft Local Plan (Amendment 4) or MPKj Draft RT (Amendment 4).
“The duration was originally scheduled from Sept 27 to Oct 26. The state government had agreed to the council’s request to extend the publicity programme by an additional month (ending Nov 25) due to amendments to two Federal Government projects,” he said.

Sungai Semenyih constantly under threat

The Star, Tuesday, 22 November 2016

BY ELAN PERUMALSTUART MICHAEL

INDUSTRIES and unscrupulous individuals are taking advantage of the lack of enforcement along Sungai Semenyih to pollute the river, including discharging effluent into the water.
Despite a series of recent incidents of water contamination at Sungai Semenyih which resulted in the shutting down of the water treatment plant affecting millions of households in Selangor, a StarMetro team’s recent visit to the area revealed that the river continued to be the target of polluters.
They also were illegally extracting water from the river.
Besides that, the check also revealed that contractors have found the riverbank along Jalan Sungai Lalang as an easy target to conduct illegal dumping.
Global Environment Centre (GCE) river care coordinator Dr Kalithasan Kailasam, who was present with the team, expressed disbelief with what was uncovered during the check.
He said it was strange to find a factory openly discharging waste water from its premises into Sungai Semenyih located just across the road.
“The factory is channelling its waste into the drain outside its premises via a pipeline that goes to the river beneath the surface of the road,” said the river expert, puzzled that such an action had escaped the authorities.
A view of the pipe inside the river for collecting water. It is unknown whether they have approval from authorities.
A view of the pipe inside the river for collecting water. It is unknown whether they have approval from authorities.
Dr Kalithasan said he was unsure if the factory had the approval of the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) to do so.
He said his observation revealed that the factory was manufacturing chemical products and it was unwise for it to be allowed to channel waste water into the river.
“I think it is not a good idea to allow the effluent to be released into the river without being properly treated,” he said
Besides that, Dr Kalithasan was also shocked to find out that the same factory was extracting water from the river for its use.
According to his finding, he said, the factory had set up a small pump house inside a wooden structure nearby to extract the river water.
“Besides the wooden structure, we also found a well believed to be used to store the extracted river water,” he said, calling for action to be taken against the operator.
Further checks around the area also revealed that garbage had been illegally dumped along the riverbank facing the industrial zone.
A concrete well believed to be used to collect water from Sungai Semenyih.
A concrete well believed to be used to collect water from Sungai Semenyih.
At most spots, Dr Kalithasan said the garbage was dumped about five meters from the river.
He said both industrial and domestic wastes were illegally dumped which could contaminate the river.
“This should not be allowed to happen as the rubbish from the riverbank will be washed into the river whenever it rains,” he said.
Dr Kalithasan, who visited the site for the first time, was disappointed with the condition of the Sungai Semenyih along the Jalan Sungai Lalang stretch.
He said, the authorities were not doing enough to protect the river from pollution.
“My findings revealed that the river is under huge threat especially from the industries that are operating too close to the riverbank,” he said
He added that the council, Department of Environment (DOE), Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS), Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and other relevant agencies must get their act together if they were serious in their move to prevent the river from being polluted.
Unscrupulous individuals have thrown rubbish right next to Sungai Semenyih.
Unscrupulous individuals have thrown rubbish right next to Sungai Semenyih.
“Currently, the situation is unsatisfactory and we should act before it leads to another water contamination incident,” he said, adding that it also caused the government a lot of money on water treatment.
When contacted, Selangor environment committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said it was an offence to extract raw water from the river without the approval of the authorities.
She added that LUAS was responsible to give approval for extracting water from the river.
“However, those who are allowed to extract water from the river will be charged for the usage of the water based on the industries they are involved in,” she said, adding that the rubber industry used river water.
Wong added that factories were not allowed to discharge effluent to the river unless they had the prior approval of the DOE.
Under DOE regulation, she said, the effluent must be treated by the factory’s own treatment plant before they were channelled to the river.
“Any business which produces effluent above the set parameters must have its own treatment facilities within its own compound,” she said, adding that it must be done within set parameters outlined under the schedule of the Environment Quality Act 1974.
Wong also said that the views of MPKj would be taken into consideration before such approvals are granted to the factories.
“The local authorities and the relevant agencies will sit on a panel that grants such approvals,” she said.
At press time, MPKJ has yet to respond to the matter

Factories along river illegal

The Star, Saturday, 26 November 2016

A FURNITURE factory is among five premises facing demolition orders for operating on river reserve land along Sungai Semenyih.
The other four premises are a chicken processing plant, an electrical recycling items workshop, a warehouse for heavy machinery and a brick factory.
State Local Government Committee chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah said despite recent notices issued by Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj), the operators of the illegal factories had failed to shut down operations.
He added that four of the factories were occupying the state land while the warehouse was on private land.
He also said that even though the warehouse was on private land, it was still an offence to operate a business in the river reserve.
Ean Yong did not reveal when the demolition exercise would take place, adding that the five were among the 58 factories found to be operating along Sungai Semenyih.
Ean Yong said MPKj had conducted a survey to check on the activities along the river and identified the businesses operating in industrial and non-industrial zones.
“Thirty-one premises were found to be operating without licences and 49 compound notices were issued for various offences including operating on agricultural land,” he told reporters after attending a briefing by MPKj yesterday.
He said 27 of the factories would be taken to court for further action as the council was seeking a court order to shut down the illegal businesses.
He explained legal action was necessary because the operators had failed to adhere to the council’s notices.
“MPKj’s action against the illegal operators shows that it is serious in its efforts to close down illegal factories operating along Sungai Semenyih,” he said.
On Nov 7, StarMetro reported that its check revealed more than 50 factories were operating along Sungai Semenyih, posing a threat to the river.

Sight of police car kicks robbers’ plan to the kerb

The Star, Friday, 2 December 2016


Getaway crash: Police officers inspecting the Proton Persona abandoned by the robbers as they fled from the authorities.
Getaway crash: Police officers inspecting the Proton Persona abandoned by the robbers as they fled from the authorities.
BANGI: The mere sight of a police car sent a gang of robbers fleeing, thwarting their plan to rob an employer of RM185,000.
The 62-year-old owner of a cleaning service company made a withdrawal at a bank in Section 15, Bandar Baru Bangi yesterday to pay her employees their salary.
Little did she know that the would-be robbers were following her from the bank, waiting for the right moment to relieve her of her cash.
Luckily, a police patrol unit making its rounds spotted the men tailing the victim in three cars.
“Before we were able to do anything, the suspects jumped into one car and fled, but were unable to take the money from their potential victim,” according to Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Othman Nanyan.
In their panic, they abandoned their other vehicles at the scene.
“We believe that there were at least five suspects,” he said.
“The two vehicles abandoned by the suspects were a gold Toyota Hilux that was reported lost in Kajang and a silver Proton Persona that was reported lost in Seremban.”
ACP Othman said police had launched a manhunt for the suspects, and that the woman later went to a police station at about 10.35am to lodge a report.
ACP Othman said the case was being investigated under Section 392 of the Penal Code for robbery.